The parts in italics are past instances... Enjoy!:)

Chapter Eight –

A lovely, green eyed young girl rode on swing; laughing as she rose high up in the air and then drew closer to the ground again.

A few feet away, a young, raven haired boy stood hidden between some trees. His eyes were fixed on the girl as if entranced. He could feel his heart warming by her soft laughter.

He watched her swinging faster and faster, higher and higher and when the swing reached at its fastest and highest… she jumped off it.

The boy felt his heart stop for a moment, and a cry left his lips involuntarily.

The girl stopped free-falling, and gently floated back to the ground… just like a feather. Then she turned towards him and her face broke out into a radiant smile.

Mesmerized, the boy approached the enchanting creature. Her red locks shimmered like fire in the bright sunlight.

And then the girl's sweet, melodic voice reached his ears. "Hello Sev. I had been waiting for you."

Severus immediately stiffened in surprise and whispered, "Sev?"

The girl giggled, "Yes silly. Severus is such a long name. You'll be my Sev from now on."

Severus simply stared at the girl. "How do you know my name?"

The girl's eye lit up. "Oh that! I had a dream, Severus…"

xXxXxXxXx

Severus watched Lucius leave with Draco and the blanket (well, Potter was not the only one wrapped around some devious little fingers). He felt his heart beating faster, apprehension replacing shock. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the woman he had always loved, the woman whose trust he had betrayed, the mother of his child... Lily.

Their eyes locked and held. A dreaded silence filled the room. It seemed as if none of them was ready to break it.

Severus broke the silence in a ragged whisper, "Why are you here Lily? It is too risky for you to be out alone."

Lily smiled, her eyes shining with some unknown emotion.

"I had a dream, Severus…"

Severus' eyes widened, "When? And does Potter know?"

"A few days ago and no, I haven't told James yet."

"What was it about?" Severus finally asked, already knowing she would never tell.

Lily started chuckling, "Really Sev, you have not changed over the years at all. Anyone else would have begun with that question and then moved on to the others."

Severus glared her, "Stop stalling, Lily. You are not going to tell me what it was about, are you? You never do."

Lily's expression turned sad, "And yet you ask every time…"

xXxXxXxXx

Severus stared at the red-haired girl suspiciously. "A dream? What was it about?"

The girl smiled, "Ah… I cannot tell you that, Sev. But it was… pleasant. I am Lily by the way. I live across the street, second house to the left."

Severus still stared at her dubiously and asked in a confused voice, "Do you often have such dreams?"

She shook her head, "No, only sometimes. At times, it is very blurry; and at times, very clear."

Then her expression turned sad and she whispered, "Sometimes, I hate it. Especially when I know something bad will happen but cannot stop it."

Severus' expression cleared and then filled with awe, "You are a seer."

xXxXxXxXx

Severus looked away and asked her once again, "Lily, why are you here?"

This time she did not answer at once. Instead, she walked over to him and laid her hands over his shoulders. Tugging him gently, she made him face her. Then gently took his hands into hers. "I am here because I have a lot of things to tell you, and you need to listen to me."

She continued, "I am ashamed that I made you feel guilty for doing what you had to do, so forgive me. I also forgive you for making me betray my vows, even if there was no other choice. And at last, I want to thank you. You not only saved my life that day but also gave me Harry. So get it into that thick, stubborn head of yours that no one blames you for what happened, except you yourself."

Severus snorted, releasing some of the tension between them, "And Potter shares your sentiments, does he?"

Lily grinned, sporting a mischievous look, "Have you seen him with Harry? That should be an answer enough."

Severus smirked as he remembered Potter clucking like a mother hen over the baby.

Lily caught his eyes and said softly, "You do not hate him any longer." Not a question but a simple fact.

Severus grimaced and turned away from Lily. How can I hate him when he looks at my son with such naked adoration and love?

"No. I do not hate him any longer. But I do not like him either. So it will be futile to get your hopes up about us being… friends," Severus spat the word as if even thinking about it in the context of James Potter was abhorrent to him.

Lily sighed. Perhaps not now Sev, but someday. It's time you know about the most important reason of my visit.

Taking a deep breath, she ventured, "Will you promise me something, Sev?"

Immediately, Severus' face softened, "Anything Lily. You already know that."

Lily looked at him with those huge green eyes of hers, "Promise me you will always watch over Harry and James. Promise me you will take care of them, no matter what happens. Promise me, Sev."

Severus stared at Lily and felt his alarm rising. "Lily, what did you see in your dream? Damn it, Lily. Do not do this to me again. What did you see?"

xXxXxXxXx

Severus was waiting outside the Gryffindor Common Room for Lily to come out. Outwardly, his face was impassive. But inside… inside he was drowning in fear. He wondered if she would come out, wondered if she hated him, wondered if she wished that they had never met.

He had never loathed himself more. How had he betrayed his Lily in this way? How could he call her a… Oh, Merlin! He wished he would stop breathing.

A sound behind him alerted him to someone else's presence. He whipped around, only to come face to face with the bane of his existence. "Potter," he spat, "come to gloat, have you?" He had never hated him more.

James winced, "No... I did not want this to happen. I just… I did not think that…"

Before he could complete his sentence, Severus punched him. James could only stare in shock.

Breathing raggedly Severus muttered, "That is the point Potter. You. Do. Not. Think. You do not ever think about the consequences of your actions, you arrogant fool."

Anger flashed in James' eyes. "Snivellus, you are a fucking hypocrite. I did not make you call Lily a… a mudblood. You think I am an immature jerk who only thinks of himself. Perhaps I am. But what is your excuse?"

"Enough."

Both of them turned to see a livid Lily glaring at them both. Then she turned towards James saying, "Go away, Potter. Leave us alone."

James left reluctantly and Severus turned to face Lily.

He gulped and started, "Lily, please forgive me. I do not know what happened…," he trailed off as he saw a fleeting expression of guilt cross her face. His heart sank...

"You knew. You knew this was going to happen. The fucking dream you had last week was about this. This was the reason you had been so depressed… you knew."

"Yes."

Severus felt his heart cracking. "Why? Why did you not tell me? And don't give me the same old bullshit about destiny. If I knew, I could have… I would have…"

Lily cut him off. "Nothing Severus. There is nothing you could have done. Some things are meant to happen. This was one of them…"

xXxXxXxXx

"Lily please…," Severus begged. "Tell me and I will give you my promise."

Lily just looked at him with sad eyes, "Some things are meant to happen. This will be one of them. There is nothing we can do. Now, promise me, Severus."

Closing his eyes in defeat, he did... "I promise."

xXxXxXxXx

Somewhere far away…

The Dark Lord Voldemort's eyes flashed at the man cowering at his feet. He sneered, wishing nothing more than to kill him. But he refrained from doing so as he needed this man to reach that Potter brat.

"Tell me why ssshould I let you live, Wormtail? You failed to notify me that the Pottersss have gone into hiding. And yet you dare and make demands… Crucio." The man twitched at his feet, screaming in agony.

"Tell me why should I let your precious James Potter live?"

Unwilling to risk the Dark Lord's wrath, Peter Pettigrew quickly said, "My lord, no one knew. I think Dumbledore suspects Snape to be your spy and so kept this matter under wraps. But My Lord, I do know who their Secret Keeper is…"

Voldemort's eyes bled red as he asked in a chilling voice, "Who?"

"Lord Franklin Longbottom…"

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